Nutrient Trading Advisory group to meet at RussellvilleThe state Nutrient Water Quality Trading Advisory Panel (NWQTAP) will meet at 1 p.m. Jan. 20, 2016, at the Pope County Farm Bureau, 1805 E. Parkway Drive, in Russellville. Items on the panel’s agenda include reports from the panel’s subcommittees on point sources and nonpoint sources for water pollution, discussion on several different water pollution issues covered at previous meetings and reports from representatives of several cities in nor...

Big Piney Rest Area set to become info centerThe Big Piney Rest Area, located between the Knoxville and London communities on Interstate 40, will undergo a complete transformation into an Arkansas Tourist Information Center. The work will require closure of the rest area for more than a year, according to the Arkansas State Highway and Transportation (AHTD) officials. Both eastbound and westbound facilities are scheduled to close at 7 a.m. on Friday and remain closed for the duration of ...

Herrick a natural choice for Parks, RecNote: This is one in a series of articles introducing new Russellville commission members and city employees to our readers. Theresa Herrick has been a professor of Recreation and Parks Administration at Arkansas Tech University for three decades. She served as a member of the Advertising and Promotion Commission for eight years, volunteered for River Valley United Way and wrote the city of Russellville’s trail plan in 2010. So it’s only natur...

Mexican Consulate selects Arkansas Tech University for 2016 scholarship fundingRepresentatives from the Consulate of Mexico in Little Rock announced, during a reception at Chambers Cafeteria on Dec. 3, that Arkansas Tech University will be the lone institution of higher learning in the State of Arkansas to receive IME Becas Fellowship scholarship funds during the 2016 calendar year. Andre Guerrero, member of the local IME Becas Fellowship committee that recommended Arkansas Tech for the scholarship funding, said that the...

Walton heirs put up $1 billion for schoolsLITTLE ROCK — A foundation run by the heirs of Wal-Mart founder Sam Walton said Thursday it will spend $1 billion over the next five years to improve public education by backing new charter schools and helping programs already up and running. The foundation has spent more than $1 billion on K-12 education over the past 20 years, including $385 million to help start charter schools in certain poor communities. The new money will be spent in pla...

Community photo: Big Country TattooBig Country Tattoo hosted its second annual Tattoos for Toys Drive from Nov. 3 to Dec. 22. Tattoo artists Jason Fort and Chris Tyler offered a discount to customers who donated a $10-15 toy for the Salvation Army’s Angel Tree program. During the event, Fort and Tyler gave over 300 discounted tattoos to collect over 300 toys for local families in need of Christmas assistance. The tattoo shop also put an Angel Tree in their shop to allow custome...

by
THE COURIER / SubmittedThe Courier Your Messenger For The River Valley

GOP senator resigns from private option task forceLITTLE ROCK — A Republican state senator has resigned from a task force studying the future of Arkansas’ hybrid Medicaid expansion, saying he doesn’t want to keep the program that provides health insurance to more than 200,000 people. Sen. Terry Rice, of Waldron, said Wednesday that he resigned from the Health Reform Task Force because he didn’t like the direction the panel was headed. Republican Gov. Asa Hutchinson formed the group to study t...

County saw solid growth in DecemberPope County had a really good financial month in December, Treasurer Donna Wall told the Quorum Court’s Budget Committee during its first meeting of 2016 on Tuesday. Gross sales tax receipts for the county’s General Fund for December were $371,412 — an increase of 8.8 percent or $30,295 over December 2014. Year-to-date collections remained ahead of collections through December 2014 by 4.5 percent. Collections ended the year 4 percent ahead of ...

Gasoline prices holding steadyAverage retail gasoline prices in Arkansas have fallen 1 cent per gallon in the past week, averaging $1.73 per gallon on Sunday, according to GasBuddy’s daily survey of 1,826 gas outlets in Arkansas. This compares with the national average that has fallen 0.5 cents per gallon in the last week to $1.99 per gallon. Areas nearby Arkansas and their current gas price climate: • Memphis — $1.76 per gallon, flat from last week’s $1.76 per gallon. • L...

Bentonville considers ads on school busesBENTONVILLE — The Bentonville school board has expressed an interest in learning more about the potential impact of putting advertisements on its school buses. The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette reports the board discussed the possibility at its Tuesday meeting. A state law enacted last year laid the framework for such practices. Some other states such as Arizona, Colorado and New Jersey also allow ads on school buses. Superintendent Michael Poore ...

Work continues on Steak ‘n ShakeWork resumed last month on the Steak ‘n Shake restaurant on East Parkway Drive in Russellville and has been more apparent by those passing by in the last week. The owner of the franchise in Russellville said an opening date would be revealed soon.

by
THE COURIER / Joshua MashonThe Courier Your Messenger For The River Valley

Ribbon cutting for Tropical Smoothie CafeTropical Smoothie Café celebrated its grand opening with a ribbon cutting recently. It is located at 605 North Arkansas Avenue in Russellville. For more information call 479-498-0777.

by
THE COURIER / SubmittedThe Courier Your Messenger For The River Valley

Community photo: Auto industry presentationDavid Rogers with ORR Auto Mall in Russellville was the guest speaker at the Russellville Kiwanis Club recently. Rogers gave a very good overview of the auto industry past, present and future.

by
THE COURIER / SubmittedThe Courier Your Messenger For The River Valley

Safe exchange zone setup in ClarksvilleThe Clarksville Police Department is now offering a safe exchange zone in front of the Clarksville Police Department Building, located at 1008 West Main Street, to complete transactions. The “Exchange Zone” is well-lit and under 24-hour surveillance, giving residents and commuters a safe place to purchase or exchange property, with the exception of weapons, from sites such as Craigslist and Facebook. In addition to online purchases, the depart...

Commissioners discuss zoning codesAfter spending the majority of Monday’s meeting discussing the differences between R-2 and R-3 zoning, the Russellville Planning Commission decided to table a rezoning request until the City Council could consider changing the zoning code. In the end, it’s another obvious reason the city’s zoning codes need to be updated and improved. The discussion involved a review and recommendation of approval to rezone property currently C-2 (Highway Comm...

Coleman to speak at Chamber banquetWalt Coleman, controller at Hiland Dairy in Little Rock and an active referee in the National Football League (NFL), will be the featured speaker at the 2016 Russellville Area Chamber of Commerce Membership Celebration and Banquet on Tuesday, February 2 inside Cyclone Arena on the campus of Russellville High School. Coleman, who is completing his 26th year as an NFL referee, has been applauded by hundreds and booed by millions. Thanks to telev...